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No

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I honestly think there is no effective crime deterrent. People murder people, knowing that the sentence will probably be death also, knowing that they will have appeal after appeal. The only way the death penalty would work is if it were enforced immediately upon sentencing.

However, delaying the execution, would make me think that they are not sure they have the right man. Which sometimes happens.

I know a lot of people have been convicted wrongly and I would think that no apology in the world, could be a consolation for the time I spent in prison. Witnesses sometimes do not identify the right man but, courts go along with the witness because he/she is of good character.

Think of serial killer. They know they've killed once so they do it again. They enjoy doing it. But, after they've killed so many people and finally caught, how many times can they go to the chair? Or hanged? Or shot?

People are going to commit crimes but, I cannot see keeping a person on death row and all of a sudden, read this in the news: "The first prisoner to be executed in (state), since 1955" or something to that effect. Why pick on that one prisoner? Then, again, death row would not be a life, anyway. You have had time to make your peace with God, but, were it me, I would never live down the fact that I had murdered someone.

Death has been a penalty for a long, long time and murders and other crimes are going to be committed for a long, long time. That's the way it's been and that's the way it's gonna be regardless of any penalty.

Personally, I don't believe there is a deterrent for any crime.

And I cannot see how a psychiatrist could diagnose the accused as being insane at the time of the murder and sane otherwise unless he had been there himself.

My poor granddaddy killed a man in self defense once. He had a good reason, too. The man had drawn a bead on one of his children. My granddaddy never lived this down. He spent no time in jail but he lived out his life, with the fact that he had had to kill him.

So, I vote no. My granddaddy was a peaceful man and was driven to what he did.

Learn more about this author, E. V. SHAW.
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